How to Take Back Your Web Privacy Before it is Too Late

Andrew Marsden |
24.04.17 |
0 Comments

In March 2017, Congress voted in favor of S.J. Resolution 34 that repeals a long standing FCC ruling related to Internet Service Providers. The resolution rolls back broadband privacy protections connected your web activity and opens the door for companies to use your data for their own profitable endeavors. In technical terms, your ISP will be inspecting all the web packets associated with your account.

In plain English, this means that your information is accessible for companies to snoop on you, learning everything about you, such as:

On April 3, 2017, this resolution was signed into law. That date marks a drastic infringement on your privacy, as your personal data can now be sold to the highest bidder. Yes, on April 3, 2017, your ISP potentially became an advertising powerhouse.

The Difference Between Your ISP and a Search Engine

It’s pretty well known that prominent search engines such as Google already monitor and track your every move concerning your web searches, site visits, streaming videos, clicked ads, and physical location. They can then use this data to better tailor advertising campaigns and push ads for products and services you may be interested in. It’s also public knowledge that Facebook does the same thing with their users’ news feed. In addition, search engines and Facebook are free sites. You are knowingly giving up your privacy when you use these web applications. Most of their users understand that this is simply the basis of their business model. Browsing Facebook is an optional activity in our lives, but accessing the Internet is not. In today’s world where nearly all of the information we depend on is digitized, access to the Internet is no longer an option, like it was twenty years ago. Your child uses it for homework, your spouse uses it to pay family bills, and you use it to book your next family vacation. But you do have a real choice when it comes to choosing a search engine. Some search engines, such as DuckDuckGo, adhere to your privacy and do not track your web searches.

Despite the necessity of the Internet, the fact is that there is little choice in internet providers today. While there are hundreds of search engines available on the internet, most people only have a choice between the local phone and cable companies in their area. For the past two decades, we didn’t need to know much about these companies other than their bandwidth offerings and level of dependability. But now that has changed. Can you truly be comfortable with the fact that large, faceless corporate conglomerates can distinguish which device belongs to your child and know what they are doing? Now consider the fact that the average person pays $47 a month to these same ISPs for service. In other words, we are paying to have our ISP spy on us, capture our data, and then sell it.

Protecting Your Privacy with a VPN

VPN stands for virtual private network, which is what a VPN provides for you. It encrypts all of your web traffic, creating a virtual tunnel that encases, protects, and shields your personal information and data. It is a technology going back to 1996, when Microsoft created the first encrypted Internet connection. A VPN has been a staple of the corporate world for sales people and business executives on the road, who rely on it to protect their company data when working from unsecure and untrusted networks at hotels and cafes. A secure VPN is a must for people in many countries throughout the world who utilize it to surf the web freely and worry free. This is because in many countries, ISPs serve as the collection point of information for obtrusive governments.

Some may argue that HTTPS sites offer encrypted protection from ISPs, but that is only partially correct. When using an HTTPS site, your ISP still knows all of the secure domains you visit, each one representing a piece of the puzzle in which big data analyzers can use to create a mosaic of your digital life. Perhaps you visit the PayPal site a lot. Are you comfortable knowing that this fact is now documented? What if the IRS were to seize your domain history? With a VPN, your ISP is completely hidden, having no record of your activities whatsoever.

You Have Choice – the Best VPN Protection

Unlike your limited choice of ISPs, you have a plethora of choices when shopping for a top VPN provider. Many VPN companies have a global presence with connection servers in multiple countries across the world. This is a great benefit for international travelers who can enjoy secure web connections wherever they are in the world. It also allows them to access US-based sites, check their online financial accounts, or watch movies on Netflix or Amazon Prime.

Globally dispersed VPN companies, such as NordVPN, have their servers hosted in countries with no mandatory data retention laws, ensuring that your web traffic can never be summoned by a lawyer or the government. In addition, most VPN service providers encrypt your DNS traffic as well, ensuring that your ISP or any external party cannot determine the websites you’ve visited.

The Best VPN at the Best Price

There are many top VPN service providers out there, such as ExpressVPN, Pure VPN, and Hotspot Shield, just to name a few. Some VPN companies offer a free limited service, and most offer their service for less than $10 a month with a paid annual subscription. Of course, price isn’t everything. When shopping for a secure VPN service, you need you to consider such things as:

Because there is true choice in the marketplace for a secure VPN, you are sure to find the best VPN service that is right for your needs. Protecting your identity and web traffic information has always been important, but with the recent reversal of your internet privacy rights, using a VPN is quickly becoming more than just peace of mind. It has now become a necessity.

Andrew Marsden

author

Andrew is an experienced IT consultant who specializes in internet security. Despite being much in demand by corporations across the globe, his passion for discussing the latest technology means Top 5 VPN users get the benefit of his vast knowledge and experience.

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